Reifel Bird Sanctuary

Birding June 24, 2023: Cool, windy and full of cowbirds

Where: Reifel Bird Sanctuary and Centennial Beach, both in Delta
Weather: Cloudy, 17C

The Outing

I’ve actually done several bird outings between this one and the last one I wrote about on May 24, but for some reason never put together write-ups or galleries. Lazy? Bad? Who can say! I may eventually put up at least galleries for each later.

For now, though, on to the most recent birding, which was also the first outing of Summer 2023. The weather was not particularly summer-like, as it was cloudy, windy and around 17C, but no rain, no hail and no risk of sunburn, so it was fine.

We started out early at Reifel I opted to keep my hoodie on. This was a wise choice.

We got some quick pics of the sandhill crane family adjacent to the parking lot to start, but the main pond was unusually quiet. We headed off toward the bird blinds, where Nic had seen an owl last week when I was in Kamloops, but alas, no owls on this day. Also, the left bird blind was closed due to birds nesting in it. They clearly do not understand what a bird blind is for.

The theme at Reifel was cowbirds, and plenty of them. We only saw a couple of chickadees, no squirrels at all, but plenty of ducks, geese, and the cowbirds, who were spread out across nearly the entire sanctuary. It was kind of weird.

As befits summer, the marshland is starting to look appropriately lush and green, besmirched only by that now abandoned sailboat, which is badly listing to port now and has been there for many weeks.

The outer trails were especially breezy and cool, but some workers pointed out an oriole nest we’ll keep an eye on in future visits. The inner trails were warmer, but festooned with giant swarms of flying bugs. Fortunately, they are not the biting kind. The swallows were very well supplied.

The oddest sight may have been a small group of Northern pintails. They should have migrated weeks ago, but they either got lost, lazy or just like it here.

Centennial Beach proved a bit lacking for raptors and killdeer (we saw the latter, but only flying overhead and away from the beach), but we did see Savannah sparrows and house finches. A few others, like goldfinches, teased with their presence, but never made for good shots. The weather improved enough that the sun almost came out a few times, and it was almost warm enough to doff the hoodie.

It’s warm and sunny as I type this the day after. 😛

Overall, it was nice to be out, and I got some of my best cowbird shots ever because a) they were plentiful and b) some of them stopped frantically jumping around and stood still for several moments.

The Shots

The Birds (and other critters)

Sparrows and sparrow-adjacent:

  • Anna’s Hummingbird
  • Barn swallow
  • Blackbird
  • Brown-headed cowbird
  • Chickadee
  • European starling
  • Goldfinch
  • House sparrow
  • Savannah sparrow
  • Spotted towhee
  • Tree swallow

Waterfowl:

  • Blue-winged teal
  • Canada goose
  • Great blue heron
  • Killdeer
  • Mallard
  • Northern pintail
  • Wood duck

Common:

  • Crow
  • Seagull

Raptors:

  • Bald eagle

Non-birds:

  • Some giant freaky catfish (?) in a slough at Reifel
  • Cows in a field

Birding April 29, 2023: Sunburns, mud and a million warblers

Where: Reifel Bird Sanctuary, Iona Beach
Weather: Sunny, around 18C or warmer

The Outing

With an unusually summer-like day forecast, we headed out mid-morning to Reifel, bedecked in t-shirts and shorts for the first time this year. I also brought sunblock, which proved to be very necessary.

Reifel was full of birds and full of people, many having booked no doubt due to the forecast, but the crowds thinned a bit after we’d been there awhile. The biggest changes we observed were:

  • Warblers. At first, we were just satisfied to get some shots, then realized the place was replete with warblers. They actually seemed to be crowding out the chickadees. I got at least two lifer shots.
  • Most of the winter migrants were still around, but their numbers were down quite a bit and a few, like the mergansers and scaups, were nowhere to be seen. I suspect the next time we visit, most of them will have moved on for the summer.
  • The geese were mostly tranquil. There was honking and some occasional nipping/alpha male nonsense, but they generally seemed more sedate. Maybe mating season mellows them out. Like, it’s hard to get a date when you’re going totally berserk.

After about four hours, we moved on to Iona Beach, where Nic wanted to find the elusive yellow-headed blackbird. We did see one, but did not get good photos (or in my case, any). Nic actually went back the next day on a Moby Dick-like quest and did get some shots. Even though he’s gotten great shots previously, so it’s not like it’s a lifer or anything. Weirdo! Or maybe he is assuming his final form as a Power Birder. First the yellow head, next the 600 mm lens.

We also saw a pile of warblers at Iona Beach. They were everywhere.

After journeying down the trails and past the barges, we agreed to walk across the tidal flats on the way back, as it would be quicker (in theory) and easier( in theory). It was neither!

But I found it strangely hilarious as the fairly firm sand gave way to increasingly mucky stuff, the kind that threatens to pull your shoes right off your feet. We never got our feet fully submerged, so I cal it a win. I also stuck to my plan to only take shots with my camera, and swapped out lenses several times for scenery shots and one poor ex-crab on the beach. A bit inconvenient compared to the phone, but my kit lens has some zoom capability, and it has a wider aspect ration, especially handy for the vast vistas of Iona Beach.

In all, it was a nice way to end the month, getting a nice preview of the warm summer weather to come.

And yes, I got a bit burnt in a few spots I missed with the sunblock. 😛

The Shots

Coming soon™.

The Birds (and other critters)

Sparrows and sparrow-adjacent:

  • Anna’s hummingbird
  • Barn swallow
  • Blackbird
  • Black-capped chickadee
  • Cowbird
  • Fox sparrow
  • Golden-crowned sparrow
  • Orange-crowned warbler
  • Rufous hummingbird
  • Savannah sparrow
  • Song sparrow
  • Spotted towhee
  • Tree swallow
  • White-crowned sparrow
  • Yellow-rumped warbler
  • Ruby-crowned kinglet

Waterfowl:

  • American coot
  • Canada goose
  • Gadwall
  • Great Blue Heron
  • Green-winged teal
  • Mallard
  • Northern pintail
  • Ring-necked duck
  • Sandhill crane
  • Wood duck

Raptors:

  • Bald eagle
  • Northern harrier

Common:

  • Pigeon
  • Seagull

Non-birds:

  • Douglas squirrel
  • Painted turtle

Birding, April 1, 2023: Reifel Bird Sanctuary, Terra Nova and Richmond Nature House

Where: Reifel Bird Sanctuary, Terra Nova, Richmond Nature House
Weather: Sunny, 7ºC

The Outing

No April foolin’, but my telephoto lens was mega-dirty and I got a depressingly large number of blurry shots.

But a few good ones, too.

The best part may have been the weather. The forecast had called for clouds with a chance of showers, but instead it was sunny right up till the very end, when a light shower finally moved in.

We started at Reifel and spent almost four hours there, strolling about, accidentally going down the same trail multiple times, but seeing lots of the usual birds. Swallows are ever-present now, but so far all the winter migrants are still here, too. The geese are mating, so are acting even more berserk and deranged than usual. One of them stared me down and actually made a motion to nip at me, but never followed through. I walked by, and it immediately went back to “nothing inside head, stare blankly into the distance” mode.

After finishing out Reifel, we had lunch then headed to Terra Nova at Nic’s suggestion. I pointed out that we’d be driving right by the Richmond Nature House on the way, so we opted to pop in and at least check the feeders (the trails had not yielded much in past visits).

And lo, we saw the elusive rufous hummingbird! And even though it was occasionally just sitting there, posing, I still wasn’t able to get a good shot. Poop! We also saw some finches and a dove, so it turned out to be a nice detour.

We next went to Terra Nova and observed copious numbers of snow geese flying overhead, heading north, so they also haven’t entirely moved on, either. At Terra Nova itself, we didn’t end up seeing a whole lot. Nic thought there was some exotic bird in a field, but it was just a pigeon (lolz). We mostly saw scenery, planes and encroaching clouds finally promising some precipitation. With Nic’s camera battery trickling down to zero and me on my third of three batteries (I ended up taking over 1,000 photos, several of them in focus!) we decided to head out, only to discover at the entrance to the trail parking that the hundreds of snow geese were landing in a narrow field between the beach and the road. We quickly parked and took a billion goose pictures until Nic’s camera battery died, then left again for real, just as the first sprinkle started. We got delayed slightly as the geese crossed the road into a larger adjacent field. Honk!

The Shots

The Birds (and other critters)

Sparrows and sparrow-adjacent:

  • American robin
  • Anna’s hummingbird
  • Blackbird
  • Dove
  • European starling
  • Golden-crowned sparrow
  • House finch
  • House sparrow
  • Northern flicker
  • Purple finch
  • Rufous hummingbird
  • Song sparrow
  • Spotted towhee
  • Tree swallow

Raptors:

  • Bald eagle

Waterfowl:

  • American coot
  • American wigeon
  • Bufflehead duck
  • Canada goose
  • Gadwall
  • Great blue heron
  • Green-winged teal
  • Hooded merganser
  • Lesser scaup
  • Mallard
  • Northern pintail
  • Northern shoveler
  • Sandhill crane
  • Snow goose
  • Wood duck

Common:

  • Crow
  • Pigeon
  • Seagull

Non-birds:

  • A few black squirrels

Birding, March 18, 2023 (Reifel Bird Sanctuary and Boundary Bay)

In which I got a slight sunburn!

Where: Reifel Bird Sanctuary, Boundary Bay
Weather: Sunny, 15ºC

The Outing

The weather for today was unusually mild–it got up to 17C in New Westminster and was around 14-15C at peak at Reifel and Boundary Bay, with little of the wind we saw last time. This is actually record-breaking territory, and one of the few exposed part of my body (the back of my neck) actually got a little sunburned. It’s still technically winter!

The sun meant for lots of light, which was a nice change, but also presented issues with shadows we haven’t had to deal with lately. Still, it was a treat to both have bright light and mild temperatures.

There was some work in the waterway being done near the entrance, with heavy equipment and steel plates being inserted into the water, but I can’t find anything about the work on the official site. I am guessing they are reconfiguring the layout of some of these smaller water bodies for some reason. We were going to ask a staff member, but they were busy helping others. A semi-mystery for now!

Boundary Bay was a complete 180º from the last visit–calm and mild. People were on the golf course wearing t-shirts. In March!

Both Reifel and Boundary Bay yielded a few seasonal returns, notably tree swallows. We did not see a Rufous hummingbird at Reifel, despite the official site confirming their presence, much to Nic’s dismay. But we did spot both a marsh and Bewick’s wren (I got a few decent shots of the latter).

We also observed a weird Sandhill crane, who I figured was going through a rebellious teen phase. There were three cranes alongside the southwest trail and one of them was constantly vocalizing. It then split from the others to come up directly onto the trail ahead of us. The others eventually followed. After a few minutes, the surly teen took off and flew around, landing in the large pond west of the trail. It then made its way back and didn’t quite rejoin the others, staying slightly back because it was obviously too cool for its (possible) parents. It finally joined them and we made our way past the gang.

Also, the geese were back and everywhere, honking and blatting as is their way. A lot of them appeared to be paired up for some sweet spring lovin’. Baby poopmonsters inbound!

The Shots

A banded Anna’s hummingbird at a feeder
Immature bald eagle acting totally mature
Black-capped chickadee in a mossy tree
We rarely see birds near the bird blinds, but this time a great blue heron was on a log right on the other side of one blind
Sandhill crane. Not heard: its constant vocalizations. It had a lot to say.
A differently-coloured towhee, standing in a chicken pose
Plane landing at Boundary Bay Airport. Yes, that is heat shimmer, something I wouldn’t expect to see on the second-to-last day of winter.

The Birds (and other critters)

All birds seen at Reifel Bird Sanctuary unless otherwise noted.

Sparrows and sparrow-adjacent:

  • American robin
  • Anna’s hummingbird
  • Bewick’s wren (rare)
  • Blackbird
  • Black-capped chickadee
  • Dark-eyed junco
  • Golden-crowned sparrow
  • Marsh wren (semi-rare)
  • Song sparrow
  • Spotted towhee

Raptors:

  • Bald eagle
  • Northern harrier

Waterfowl:

  • American coot
  • American wigeon
  • Bufflehead duck
  • Canada goose
  • Gadwall
  • Great blue heron
  • Green-winged teal
  • Hooded merganser
  • Lesser scaup
  • Mallard
  • Northern pintail
  • Northern shoveler
  • Sandhill crane
  • Wood duck

Common:

  • Crow
  • Pigeon
  • Seagull

Non-birds:

  • Black squirrel
  • Gray squirrel

Rusty the pipe, in black and white

Suddenly I have the urge to turn every landscape photo into a stark black and white image. It must mean something.

This is a large rusted pipe that sits just off the Western Dyke Trail at Reifel Bird Sanctuary. I’d love to know how it got there, as it’s nowhere close to the shore. The photo was taken on February 11, 2023.

Reifel Bird Sanctuary and Iona Beach, Feb.11, 2023

The day was gray, and the sun only poked out a few times, but it was nice as always to get out among the birds. While the light was not always great, the birds often gave good pose to make up for it.

Here are a few of the photos I took.

Goose pondering, plus bonus goose pondering
The stare of a spotted towhee burning through your soul
Bald eagle hanging out atop a favourite tree
A song sparrow seriously questioning what I’m doing
A black-capped chickadee with the weirdest expression I’ve ever seen on one
An American coot having a nice stretch

And for now, I leave you with two blackbird photos, each weird in its own way.

The motion blur on this one gives the blackbird a spooky, spectral quality
This is what a blackbird looks like head-on when it’s screeching. Terrifying.

Duck!

A female mallard got up on the railing on one of the viewing platforms when we were at Reifel Bird Sanctuary on Saturday, and it was too close to shoot with my telephoto lens. So I took a bunch of photos of it with my iPhone. They turned out pretty good. The duck was very photogenic.

I’ll post more pics from the birding shenanigans soon™.

Quack, quack.

Reifel Bird Sanctuary and Brunswick Point photos

A few photos from both locations. Reifel was sunny but in the morning was cool, hinting at the eventual fall weather to come. By midday, it was back to feeling summer-like, though.

Meta photo of me taking a photo of Nic taking a photo of a duck, with both our shadows visible.
House finch enjoying some berries.
Some of the 50 billion snow geese that have migrated in for the winter.
Chickadee looking criminally cute.
Bald Eagle at Brunswick Point.